A Common Need: Suit & Tie
by Mysterious Wind
Summary: MW comes out of retirement to bring you the follow-up to the much acclaimed "A Common Need" series. Bruce and Harvey are in China for business when unforeseen complications arrive. Short story split into parts for easier reading.


**A Common Need: Suit & Tie**

**By J. Lewis**

_**Part One**_

"_As long as I got my suit & tie,_

_I'ma leave it all on the floor tonight,_

_Baby got dressed up to the nines,_

_Let me show you a good thing..."_

_Harvey_

Slate sky against ashen skyscrapers and asphalt. There is not much to be romanticized here; it's a cold, polluted place, filled with a harsh language.

"What's that look for?" Bruce's hands wrap around my waist, fingertips digging into my hips. I glance at him out of the corner of my eye.

"Which look?" I ask, knotting my eyebrows together and looking back out over the city.

"The _I hate being here _look_," _he growls into my ear, resting his chin on my shoulder. His breath comes in short, even huffs, caressing my bare skin. I shiver slightly, goosebumps rushing down my spine.

"I don't _hate_ it here, Bruce," I roll my eyes, hoping he can't hear the blatant lie in my voice.

He doesn't respond. His lips bend down onto my collarbone and linger for a moment, breath quickening. I close my eyes, breathing in his scent and his warmth. And then he moves away, and I'm cold again. I whip around to face him. He looks strong and masculine, eyes flashing in the harsh morning light. China looks good on Bruce. It's about the only positive thing about this place.

"I have to go get ready for my day, Harvey. Can you stop pouting for ten minutes and help me out?" he asks, narrowing his gaze.

I feel my lips curling up, despite my best efforts to stop them. "Help you out how?"

"There's this one part of my back that I can't ever seem to get clean..."

I clear the space between us in two quick steps, punching him in the gut and grabbing at his hair. Or at least, that's my intention. I get half of a punch in before he's got me twisted around against him, one hand pulling at my arm, the other at the hem of my pajama pants. I grunt, elbowing him in the stomach. His breath barely hitches.

"Can you behave yourself, now?"

"Can _you_?" I growl, struggling against his grip.

"Not if you keep teasing me."

I wait for a minute, stomp on his toe, and then wiggle out of his grasp. When we first met, I wouldn't have been able to successfully do any of this. Thankfully, training sessions have had their benefits. There's a certain security risk to being the Batman's gay lover, and of course Bruce would never overlook something like that.

I wait, breath heaving. He watches me, a predatory turn in his expression. I don't dare speak.

He lunges, toppling me to the floor, pinning my arms behind me, legs crushed under his thigh's grasp. "You know better than to try and beat me, idiot," he snarls.

"And you know better than to think I'd try," I whisper, hooding my eyes and smiling. A wicked look flashes across Bruce's face, and then he's gone. I stand up, crack my neck, and head for the bathroom. I discard my clothing as I head over. Who am I to deny Bruce Wayne a back scratch?

_Bruce_

The shower, a traditional Asian style without a proper shower curtain or divider from the rest of the room, is clean and hot. I know it'll steam up the mirror in a few minutes, meaning I'll have an excuse to bring this to the bed if need be. Not like I can get ready for the day if I can't see my own hair.

My heart is still racing from Harvey's attempt at overpowering me. I can hear him headed my way, and I step for the faucet, turning the hot water on. It rushes out in a loud blast, pounding onto the tile floor. I wear nothing except the rubber slippers provided by the hotel. Wouldn't want to slip in a compromising position.

Harvey opens the door. I stand there, watching him, prone. His eyes go straight to mine. We are silent for a moment, speaking without words. And then he comes to me, and his lips are on mine, and there is nothing else in the world except the heat of the water and the burn of his touch.  
"Wô aí ni," I whisper to him.

"Those are the only words I can stand in this godforsaken language," he groans, grinding against me.

_I love you_.

**Author's Note:** I can imagine that seeing an update in this series is rather alarming for you. Let me explain. I am currently living in China as an English teacher (just for one semester). I am also reaching a year mark of having terrible writing constipation. So, after talking with some of my coworkers about my past writing pursuits, I thought I'd hit up FF again.

This will be a short story split into multiple parts, which I will write and post over my free time here in China. Although technically canon in Harvey and Bruce's story, I won't put much effort into including the other storylines. I know how Toxin completed, although I didn't obviously write it down... Anyways, this is proof that they _do_ end up happy. So, rejoice! I look forward to your reviews, and hope that this story lives up to your hopes and dreams! Love & light. xx


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